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Group B is toughest with United States, Sweden, North Korea and Nigeria
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BEIJING (AP) -Hands down, Group B figures to be the toughest in the women's World Cup.

Three of the sport's five top-ranked teams are in the group - the Untied States (No. 1), Sweden (No. 3) and North Korea (No. 5). Defending African champion Nigeria is ranked only 24, which belies its strength.

The Americans have won two of the previous four world titles - 1991 and '99 - and were bitterly disappointed losing to eventual champion Germany 3-0 four years ago in the semifinals in California. Sweden was the runner-up four years ago to Germany, carrying its own disappointment to China.

Though North Korea has yet to advance beyond the group stage of a World Cup, this might be the year for Asia's top-ranked team. And don't underrate Nigeria, historically Africa's best side.

By an odd coincidence, the group is identical to 2003 when all four were pooled together with the Americans and Swedes advancing.

There was some luck involved in the draw, and also some shenanigans by the world governing body FIFA.

Minutes before the draw - and without explanation - North Korea was place arbitrarily into Group B. FIFA declined to fully explain why, but the positioning guarantees that host-team China cannot face archrival North Korea before the semifinals. After North Korea was placed in Group B, the Americans, Swedes and Nigerians were drawn by lot into the group.

"I just didn't understand it. I was confused,'' Ryan said at the time.

The group opens Sept. 11 in Chengdu with the United States facing North Korea and Nigeria playing Sweden.

The Americans have a rich World Cup history, and this time they'll introduce 12 players who've never participated on women soccer's top stage. Forward Kristine Lilly and goalkeeper Briana Scurry are the only players from all the glory years that included two World Cup titles and Olympic gold medals in '96 and '04.

The United States will play an offensive style built around the penetrating runs and passes of Lilly, Shannon Boxx and Carli Lloyd, and the finishing of Lilly and Abby Wambach. Defensively, the core of Kate Markgraf, Cristie Rampone and Cat Whitehill generally keeps opponents far from the net with Hope Solo likely to start in goal.

Where Ryan's 21-player squad can separate itself is on set plays, particularly on crosses to Wambach and Boxx. Possession and late-game depth and fitness could also be decisive.

"On a gut level, this team feels right,'' Wambach said. "It's the right 21 players heading into the world championship. All of our pistons are firing at the same time. , That's all we can ask for going into the world championship.''

Ryan is unbeaten in 46 games (39 wins, 7 ties, 0 losses) since taking over the United States team early 2005. The only blemish is a penalty kick loss to Germany in the Algarve Cup. The game was 0-0 after regulation and extra time and, because it was decided on penalties, goes into the record books as a tie.

Sweden returns with many of same players from the runner-up finish four years ago. New coach Thomas Dennerby - he replaced Marika Domanski-Lyfors, who has taken over China - is trying to add more flexibility of the Swedish attack, mixing in 4-3-3 and 4-5-1 formations with the traditional 4-4-2.

The veteran team has several players with 100 appearances including two of the world's top strikers: Hanna Ljungberg and Victoria Svensson. Hanna Marklund, Malin Mostrom and Therese Sjogran also have 100 caps. Sweden also has a young, promising striker in Lotta Schelin.

"We know what we are capable of if the conditions are right,'' Ljungberg said.

North Korea is, of course, largely a mystery.

The side is coached by Kim Kwang Min and led by forward Ri Kum Suk, who will be playing in her third consecutive World Cup. Despite its high ranking, North Korea has yet to get past group play in the World Cup finals

"I'm not satisfied with what we have done last year,'' Ri said in an interview on FIFA's Web site. "We will work harder and try to step forward to be one of the top sides in the world.''

The team will include young talent from the side that won the 2006 Under-20 World Championship, hammering China 5-0 in the final in Moscow. They also beat Germany, Switzerland, Mexico, France and Brazil.

Nigeria won the African title last year for the fifth time. The Super Falcons have qualified for every World Cup finals tournament, but have yet to produce. Four years ago they lost three group games and failed to score.

Much of coach Effiom Ntiero's team is back from 2003 including Mercy Akide and Florence Omagbemi. The new face is striker Cynthia Uwak, and a key scoring threat is likely to be midfielder Perpetua Nkwocha.

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The glorious Ramadan fast
By Muhammad Embeay
As-Salaam Alaikum, Wa-Rahamatullah, Wa-Barakatuhoo

May Allah's Peace, Mercy and Blessings be with you

I seek refuge with Allah, against the accursed devil

In the Name of Allah, the Glorious, the Merciful

"O! You who believe, fasting is prescribed for you as it was decreed for the people before you, so that you may become righteous with the fear of Allah."-Holy Quran 2:183

EVERY year, the month of Ramadan Fast comes and goes, but how many observers of Ramadan Fast really know the significance and what it means to them and in what way it is beneficial to mankind?

In the first place, the month of Ramadan is a blessed month, the sacred days of God and the period for the acceptance of supplications by the Almighty Allah, the Lord of the Universe.

In fact, Ramadan is the month in which man draws nearer to God - when the barriers of all kinds, separating him from God, his Creator, are absolutely removed and the avenues of approach into HIM are all opened.

Ramadan is also the month which the devotee attains to the object of devotion when the lover meets his beloved and the worshipper sees the object of his adoration.

The burnish sensation of love is soothed during the month of Ramadan and the deep yearning of the soul find means for satisfaction.

The gentle shower of Divine Grace waters the dead souls in a charming manner, giving them life and beautiful verdure to afford pleasure and delight to all who possess eyes. Yes, the days, the dear days, the blissful and the happy days come every year when all Moslems - rich and poor, man or woman, weak or strong - will abandon their sweet sleep in the dead of night (when all the rest of the World is lying unconscious in comfortable beds), prostrating and bending before their creator and most humbly seeking forgiveness for their sins and shedding their pious tears of love and regret from their eyes.

Generally, day is the time for work, but for the Moslems, the blessed nights in the month of Ramadan afford no less duty for Moslems.

They voluntarily flock into the Mosques shortly after midnight and the name of the Creator of heavens and earth resounds in every quarter of the Moslems Community.

The glory, majesty and beauty of God are sung in the sweetest of tones, which touch the very innermost recess of the human soul.

In the month of Ramadan, the Moslems World, from one corner to the other, presents a most wonderful and mysterious spectacles of a host of people devoted to their master and host in his love, bowing down before HIM in the deepest meditation, reverence and ardour.

The importance and significance of the Ramadan month of fasting is distinctively and beautifully described in the Holy Quoran 2:185

It reads: "The Month of Ramadan is that which the Qur'an was revealed as a guidance for mankind with clear proofs of guidance and discrimination.

"Therefore, whosoever of you is present at home in this month, let him fast therein. But whosoever is sick or is on a journey shall fast the same number of other days. Allah desires to give you facility and he desires not hardship for you and that you may complete the number, and that you may exalt Allah for his having guided you and that you may be grateful."

What a Divine injunction!

For Moslems, during the month of Ramadan, special arrangements are made in the days to study the text of the Holy Qur'an and the Hadith (the traditions of the Holy Prophet), peace be on his soul. At night, a Moslem hears the Holy Qur'an repeated in the Tarawih - special prayer and he tries to learn and understand the same in the day.

The scorching wind and the burning heat of the day, at times, proves no handicap to the Moslems in their obedience to the Divine injunction of Allah, their Creator.

"By God the smell of a fasting man is sweeter than musks, scent" says Prophet Muhammad, may the peace and blessings of Allah be with his soul, "should the merciful Allah not accept the prayers of his devotes servants? Will he not take compassion upon them? May he not shower upon them the blessings of his infinite grace? Most surely, the merciful Almighty will."

The experience of over 1400 years shows that he has ever been bountifully listening to the humble supplications of his faithful worshippers, devotees and granting them the pleasure of spiritual commission with Him.

At the approach of the blessed month of Ramadan every heart, is full of delight and rejoicing, but the joy is not an unmixed one. For it is a sore grief to think that Moslems have become negligent for a time and do not bother to avail themselves of the bountiful opportunities afforded them by the grace of God. They are slow to partake of heavenly blessings.

Does it mean that the worldly occupations are more to them? Do they think that the joys of this world are sweeter than the bliss of Divine worship? No, it is not so, the reason is that they have not tasted the joys of heaven.

It is said that the continually stuffed body cannot see secret things. There is not doubt about the fact that satiety has a dulling effect on the brain and that over-eating breeds dullness and blunts the higher faculties of the mind, so fasting for a certain period of the year is beneficial for mankind.

Now that this year's Ramadan fast is already with us, it is a bounden duty for every Moslem to know and practice all rules of dos and don'ts throughout the glorious month of Ramadan Fast.

To start with, a Moslem must make up his or her mind during the month to abstain from every kind of food and drink, sexual intercourse and all preliminaries, thereto from dawn till sunset everyday.

"Fasting during everyday of the month of Ramadan" says the Holy Qur'an "is a duty upon all adult Moslems whatever their rank, station, position and condition in life. But it is not good to compel children to fast. Those who are sick or on a journey should not fast, but they should, afterwards, fast for the equal number of days missed before the following month of Ramadan."

Workers on trains or ships are regarded as clerks in the office or going about in circuit and as such, they should fast throughout the month. But expectant mothers as well as nursing ones and those menstruating should not fast. The same thing applies to those who are suffering from permanent disease, which makes them too weak to fast. They are exempted from fasting, but it is desirable for them to feed the poor everyday throughout the period, if possible.

If during the fast, however, a person suddenly becomes sick or is obliged to go on a journey, that person should break the fast and then repeat it afterwards.

The fast still remains valid, if at any time during the month, a person has unknowingly taken food or water.

"God has provided that person with food," says the Holy Prophet. The usage of chewing stick and perfume does not interfere with one's fast in any way, but any person who breaks his fast without a genuine reason, will have to take 60 extra fasts continuously instead of 30 ordinary fasts. If he is unable to do this, he should feed 60 poor people and in addition take the missing fasts.

Fasting elevates the faithful to the higher stage of spirituality, it brings passion under control, it makes the soul shine, gives taste in prayer, removes the false sense of prestige, ostentation, saves time and trouble, helps economy, contributes to the preservation of health, teaches democracy, moral discipline and it keeps faith in God a living force.

In one of his traditions, the Holy Prophet says: "Fasting and the Qur'an will intercede for a man. Fasting will say, "O Lord, I denied him food and marital intercourse during the daytime, so make me an intercessor for him and the Holy Qur'an will say: "I denied him sleeps during the night, so make me an intercessor for him; so they will both intercede."

"There is forgiveness for his people in the last night of Ramadan. It was questioned. O! messenger of Allah, is it the blessed night? No, said he, but as for a worker, his wages will be given in full, when he finished his work. There is almsgiving for everything and the almsgiving for the body is fasting.

Illumine your heart by hunger and strive to conquer yourself by hunger and thirst, continue to knock at the gate of paradise by hunger during the month of Ramadan."

All Moslems, are, therefore, required to fast faithfully during the month of Ramada, and to endure hunger and thirst for God's sake from morning till evening. This creates in their minds a capacity for the right estimation of their trouble and thereby kindles desires to keep their virtues during the month of Ramadan and throughout the remaining months of the year.

How many men fast, who have nothing of fasting but thirst and how many men stand up to pray all night who have nothing of prayer except keeping awake? Backbiting vitiates ablution and fasting. A man whilst fasting must abstain from all bad expressions and not resent an injury. A keeper of fast, who does not abandon lying and slander, Allah cares not about his leaving off eating and drinking, that is, Allah does not accept his fasting).

If you are challenged or teased, the person should be told: "please, I am fasting, twice, at least.

"As you keep on fasting," says the Holy Prophets "you eat also, as you stay awake at night so also you should find time to sleep, for verily, there is a duty on you to your body not to labour over much so that you may not get ill and destroy yourself; and verily there is a duty on you to your eyes, you must sometimes sleep and give them rest, verily there is a duty on you to your wife and to your visitors that come to see you, you must talk to them."

Above all, whoever fasted during Ramadan month and then fasted for six days in the following months of SHAWAL, he was like one who has been fasting all his life.

May the merciful Allah make this year's Ramadan Fast a source of blessings for all mankind. Aameen!



source: THE GUARDIAN

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ROBBEN THANKS BLUES FANS








Arjen Robben has spoken to the Chelsea fans for the first time since leaving the club in August.
Robben, who's still in contact with most of the players at Chelsea, said his highlights from his three years at the club were winning all the trophies that are available in England and that it was difficult not being able to say farewell to his team mates and fans in person.
'I have some contact with the players, but for me it was difficult to leave because I had a great time in my three great years at Chelsea and I think I made a lot of friend's as well,' said Robben who was speaking exclusively to Chelsea TV.
'It was difficult because there was no time to say goodbye, because the deal was closed on the Wednesday at ten o'clock in the evening and the following morning I had to fly so there was no time to say goodbye, I only spoke to them on the phone.'
'If I have time I would want to come back and say goodbye,' said Robben, 'to the supporters as well but I don't know if I'll have a chance because at Chelsea the programme is as busy as it is here, we play a lot of games at the weekend and mid-week as well.
'So if I have one day off I would want to come back and say goodbye to everybody because I think it is important. To the fans I owe a big thank you because they were always good to me, I always had great support off them and I had a good relationship with them as well,' he added.
'In my three years I won all the prizes there are to win in England. The FA Cup we won in the end, the Carling Cup twice, the League twice, the Community Shield, so for me that was the highlights,' said Robben.
'But of course for me I was unfortunate with injuries and I didn't have as much impact as I wanted to but that's life,' he added.
Although he's still waiting for the chance to play in his debut, Robben believes he has recovered strength since his knee surgery last season and is looking forward to playing for Real Madrid.
'Things are good, they gave me a bit of time to adapt to everything and become strong because I was still struggling from my surgery last year, so my preseason was not the best but they gave me a bit of time,' he said. 'At the moment I feel very good and hopefully I can make my debut soon.'
Robben left a message for Blues fans to express his gratitude for making his Chelsea career so enjoyable.
'I want to thank them for all the great support they gave me, it must have been frustrating for them to see me injured so many times. But every time I came back I always got a great reception and a warm welcome, so I want to thank them very much and I really enjoyed playing in front of them every time.'

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